Dazed & Controversial... the Azealia Banks cover that's been banned across the world

Azealia Banks is no stranger to controversy. With a smash hit song about the C-word and a penchant for studded leather and angry Twitter brawls, the Harlem-born rapper has quickly gained a reputation as one of this year’s most provocative and outspoken exports. And now even her image has been branded illegal.

After the star posed for the cover of September’s Dazed & Confused magazine, the edition has been banned in seven countries. The image, seen here for the first time, reveals Banks inflating a large bright pink condom between her lips along with the words “Azealia Banks blows up” and has been deemed too risqué by authorities in Singapore, Dubai, Malta, Switzerland, India and Thailand. The issue is due out in the UK tomorrow.

Bisexual Banks has never been shy about her exploits. In the interview with the alternative British style bible she admits: “I’ve always been very sexual … I got in trouble for fooling around in school a lot. I just wanted to be touched, ya know? I just wanted to have sex.” So it should come as no surprise that she had no qualms about the cover pose.

“Azealia liked it, and we thought it would be fun and suited her because she’s a strong, provocative character,” says Dazed’s editor, Rod Stanley. “I knew this cover would be talked about, but didn’t expect a confident, young woman posing with an inflated condom to cause this much fuss. It’s funny that in a world where extreme images are so accessible, someone posing with something that is used for safe sex is what we get worked up about.”